The draw for the group stage of the Champions League produces “stories that only football writes,” as they say at Bayern Munich. All five teams can look forward to attractive lots, which at least allow dreams of the round of 16. The reactions are positive.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann (Bayern Munich): “It’s a very demanding group full of challenges. Inter have strengthened themselves again. This is a club that has celebrated many international successes and has regained strength in recent years. Barcelona is history obviously mandatory with Lewy. I hope that we can achieve results similar to those against Barça in recent years. Pilsen are Czech champions ahead of the Prague clubs, that means something. We have to be there from the start. We’re happy about that us on it.”
Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich CEO): “It’s a very attractive group. With Barcelona and Inter Milan, we’re playing two big clubs in European football. We’ll be fully challenged in this group, but we can’t face the big traditional club from Pilsen here either underestimate. We hope for great football evenings. The goal of FC Bayern can only be: Reach the round of 16! Above all, we are all looking forward to seeing Robert Lewandowski again at FC Bayern. Borussia Dortmund against Man City with Haaland and FC Bayern against Barcelona with Lewandowski – only football writes such stories.”
Hasan Salihamidzic (Sports Director Bayern Munich) on the group and seeing Robert Lewandowski again: “We have to be careful, with Barcelona and Inter we have two teams that are really strong. Of course we’re favorites against Pilsen. It’s not an easy group. Ours “Boys have to go full throttle. Only football writes such stories as with Lewandowski. We joked about it in the office before. Barcelona have not only strengthened themselves with Lewa. There will be exciting games. We took the loss against Villarreal with us as a lesson from last season. It’s always the same clubs that are favorites to win the title; Real Madrid as the holders, Manchester City, Barcelona have also strengthened. Liverpool are always very dangerous. Chelsea are there too. Paris have one too Top squad, so are we, of course, I’d be happy if the German teams go far, that’s good for the Bundesliga, that’s good for German football ßball good.”
Captain Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich): “Barcelona and Inter Milan – those will be highlights in the group stage. Two great clubs, two great stadiums. I’m looking forward to this group. It’s also nice that we’ll see Robert Lewandowski again so quickly Our goal is clearly to reach the knockout stages, and we mustn’t underestimate the Pilsen team.”
Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich): “What a great story that we’re about to meet FC Barcelona with Robert Lewandowski. For me it’s a great group with great teams. It will be great Champions League nights for the football fans. But one thing is also clear: we have to do our homework to reach the round of 16.”
Hans-Joachim Watzke (Managing Director Borussia Dortmund): “If you come out of pot three, it’s clear even before the draw that you’ll get a very strong Champions League group. The task is of course challenging, but not impossible. You have to Don’t be a prophet to predict that the Sevilla games could certainly play an important role. But against Copenhagen you have to win both games first.”
Edin Terzic (Borussia Dortmund coach): “We’re looking forward to this group, even though we certainly didn’t get the easiest draws from the respective pots and our focus is on the Bundesliga anyway. Man City are the absolute favourites, not just in the Premier League, also in the Champions League. But we played really well against City and Sevilla not so long ago, they were all very close. And Copenhagen, as Danish champions, is also a real challenge. In this group we will be ex-BVB We’ll see players like Erling Haaland, Ilkay Gündogan and Thomas Delaney again. We’re really looking forward to that too.”
Marco Reus (Captain Borussia Dortmund): “Of course, Manchester City is a board in the Champions League. We’re looking forward to it as much as we are to seeing Erling Haaland again. We won in Seville in 2021 and played a really good game. Copenhagen are Danish champions , and the city is of course also a really cool travel location for our fans.”
Markus Krösche (Sports Director Eintracht Frankfurt): “We have been drawn into a sportingly appealing and highly attractive group. We are very much looking forward to this challenge. As a top club in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur have an extraordinary individual quality – if, among other things, you Think of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son. Sporting Lisbon shone last season with a great collective. Similar to Olympique Marseille, who played outstandingly second in Ligue 1 last year. Despite the strength of the opponents, our goal is the qualifying for the round of 16.”
Fernando Carro (Managing Director Bayer Leverkusen): “An exciting group with old acquaintances. We now have to do everything we can to stabilize ourselves quickly in everyday league life so that we can enjoy these big football evenings accordingly and be able to organize them successfully.”
Simon Rolfes (Managing Director Sport Bayer Leverkusen): “It’s an interesting and balanced group. Atlético Madrid – that’s always a special atmosphere. I played my last Champions League game in the old stadium in Madrid. All teams have one different way of playing football. That’s why I’m looking forward to the games and I believe that something is possible. We have to make sure that we get on track in the league. The Champions League is a competition that also releases energy. We hope that we can find our rhythm over the English weeks and get back to our form through the games.”
Oliver Mintzlaff (Managing Director RB Leipzig): “We are extremely proud to be taking part in the Champions League for the fifth time in our seventh year as a Bundesliga club. The group with defending champions and record champions Real Madrid and the reigning national champions Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic Glasgow is an exciting one A challenge that we are very happy to accept. We are looking forward to magical nights together with our fans! Our goal is to spend the winter in Europe – preferably for the third time in the premier class, of course.”
